Audrey, Wait!, by Robin Benway

Do you ever hear a song on the radio and wonder who it was written about? When Audrey's ex-boyfriend's band comes out with a new hit single called "Audrey, Wait!" Audrey is thrust into the spotlight. Now the music-loving witty teenager is forced to deal with her 15 minutes of fame and all the good and bad that comes along with it while trying to live an ordinary life just hanging out with her best friend and crushing on her cute co-worker.

For the most part, this entire novel was very clever and witty. From the story to the one-liners to Audrey's thoughts, it was very entertaining but perhaps a bit too much so. Don't get me wrong I loved it and how smart it was, but sometimes I felt like it was so smart that it wasn't realistic.

The idea behind this book really was adorable and the characters were all very interesting and life-like (except for their extreme levels of wittiness). What I didn't get was why all of America cared so much about what Audrey was up to. I really enjoyed the book but if the tabloids were going crazy about the subject of a hit song then I would probably just ignore it all. It was nice that Audrey wasn't bitter, as were the heroines of the few other books like this that I've come across. Audrey was happy with who and where she was, she wasn't begging for attention and she wasn't desperate for a guy who wouldn't look at her twice.

4.7 stars
 
 California high school student Audrey Cuttler dumps self-involved Evan, the lead singer of a little band called The Do-Gooders. Evan writes, “Audrey, Wait!” a break-up song that’s so good it rockets up the billboard charts. And Audrey is suddenly famous!

Now rabid fans are invading her school. People is running articles about her arm-warmers. The lead singer of the Lolitas wants her as his muse. (And the Internet is documenting her every move!) Audrey can't hang out with her best friend or get with her new crush without being mobbed by fans and paparazzi.

Take a wild ride with Audrey as she makes headlines, has outrageous amounts of fun, confronts her ex on MTV, and gets the chance to show the world who she really is.

Messy, by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan (Spoiled #2)

Brooke and Max were the best parts of Spoiled, and now they're the stars of their very own book. Brooke decides that to take her fame to the next level she needs a blog about her life, but since she doesn't have the time, patience, or wit for one, she hires Max to do it for her. This looks like a recipe for disaster and it is one as two totally different girls suffer a bit of an identity crisis and mix up their personalities, dreams, and the boys they like.

This was a great sequel, in that it wasn't much of a sequel and more like a novel taking place in the same world slightly after the events of and featuring the characters of Spoiled. I like my novels to have a beginning and end, and my favorite series and sequels are ones like this one that aren't so sequel-y.

I loved how different Brooke was in this book than in Spoiled. I thought her character had potential in Spoiled but her actions were so despicable that I just hated her and didn't even try not to. However, she became infinitely more likable in this novel and I was able to put the events of the previous one out of my head because it's a different book.

All in all, I liked Messy a lot more than I liked Spoiled for several reasons, including that it was organized a lot better and had more of an actual plot, and Brick was barely in it. Brick is the kind of character who is funny when he's only in a few scenes here and there but when he's a significant character, like in Spoiled, it can be a bit too much. My one major disappointment was the lack of Molly and Teddy love, but the rest of it was so good that I didn't mind.

4.8 stars

When sixteen-year-old Brooke Berlin catches a taste of fame and her movie-star father's attention, she decides it's time to take her career to the next level--by launching a blog that will position her as a Hollywood "It Girl" who tells it like it is. But between schoolwork, shopping, and spray-tan appointments, she hardly has the time to write it herself...
Enter green-haired outsider Max McCormack, an aspiring author with a terrible after-school job pushing faux meat on the macrobiotic masses. Max loathes the celebrity scene almost as much as she dislikes Brooke, but wooed by an impressive salary, Max reluctantly agrees to play Brooke's ghost-blogger -- and the site takes off. How long will their lie last? Can the girls work together to stay on top, or will the truth come out and ruin everything they've built?
Along with an entourage of fame-hungry starlets, scruffy rocker wannabes, and sushi-scarfing socialites, the case of Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan's dazzling debut, Spoiled, are back for another adventure in Tinseltown.

The Time of My Life, by Cecelia Ahern

We get reminders from doctors and dentists about our next appointments, but Lucy got a reminder about not missing her appointment with life. Yes, life. After skipping her appointment several times, Lucy eventually comes face to face with her life in the form a run-down man. As Lucy continues trudging through her days, her life takes over and leads her in directions that she never would have dreamed of.

The concept of this book seems a bit confusing, especially because the man Lucy's Life (as in his name) but rather Lucy's life (as in the noun). When I first saw that life was a man I was convinced there would be a romance between him and Lucy but once I vaguely understood the concept of an appointment with life I realized how implausible that would be. My comprehension of the idea swayed back and forth between a logical explanation of that being Lucy's life was the man's job, but at some point in the novel I was forced to let go of logic and enter Ahern's slightly magical world.

My favorite thing about Cecelia Ahern's books is how though they may seem similar to many other novels, there is often either a mystical element or a unique way of writing that lifts her books above the norm and keeps them from being cliche. She manages to insert humor into topics that aren't the most cheerful and reading her books ignites all different sorts of emotions in the reader.

The reason why I gave this book 4 stars was because of the slow beginning. It took a while for it to really kick off and so when I was really tempted to stop I flipped to the ending and after determining that I liked it I resumed at my boring location near the beginning. My advice is to stick through the dull parts because once it gets good it gets great.

4.3 stars

Lucy Silchester has an appointment with her life – and she’s going to have to keep it.

Lying on Lucy Silchester’s carpet one day when she returns from work is a gold envelope. Inside is an invitation – to a meeting with Life. Her life. It turns out she's been ignoring itand it needs to meet with her face to face.

It sounds peculiar, but Lucy’s read about this in a magazine. Anyway, she can’t make the date: she’s much too busy despising her job, skipping out on her friends and avoiding her family.

But Lucy’s life isn’t what it seems. Some of the choices she’s made – and stories she’s told – aren’t what they seem either. From the moment she meets the man who introduces himself as her life, her stubborn half-truths are going to be revealed in all their glory – unless Lucy learns to tell the truth about what really matters to her.

Spoiled, by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan

On her deathbed, Molly's mom reveals the truth about Molly's father-that he's none other than Brick Berlin, the famous Hollywood actor. Suddenly, Molly is plucked from Indiana obscurity and flown off to live with her dad and sister Brooke in the land of the rich, blonde, and tan. Brooke is not happy with the arrival of the other Berlin girl. The paparazzi is more interested in Molly now than they were in Brooke as far back as she can remember, and Brooke's workaholic dad cares more about making up for lost time with Molly than he ever did for his non-absentee daughter. Brooke wants everything to go back to normal, and is willing to do anything to get it there.

I heard of this book through the authors' fashion blog, Go Fug Yourself (look it up!), and was thrilled to find out there were two entire books of their witty and hilarious writing. Ironically, that was what I disliked most about the book. While short little paragraphs on their blog are smart and funny, it didn't translate well to the book format, where their tendency to ramble got annoying rather than hysterical.

What kept bothering me throughout the novel was Brooke's mistreatment of Molly. It's bad enough that she's acting completely horrible towards her sister, but the fact that Molly's mom just died makes Brooke's actions absolutely deplorable. She couldn't care less about Molly's feelings and made it all about her own emotions, even though she's been feeling those feelings for years and years already while Molly's mother died only about a week before. I understand why Brooke is portrayed this way but her epic levels of meanness earlier in the book prevented me from buying into her repentant act later in the book.

The McCormack siblings were by far my favorite part of the book. Max provided the sarcasm that everyone reading the novel was thinking and did it with the perfect amount of snark. Teddy was, of course, the romantic part of the story and my only disappointment there was the lack of focus on it throughout the story and then an ending for him and Molly that could really go in any direction.

3.9 stars.
 
Sixteen-year-old Molly Dix has just discovered that her biological father is Brick Berlin, world-famous movie star and red-carpet regular. Intrigued (and a little) terrified by her Hollywood lineage, Molly moves to Los Angeles and plunges headfirst into the deep of Beverly Hills celebrity life. Just as Molly thinks her life couldn't get any stranger, she meets Brooke Berlin, her gorgeous, spoiled half sister, who welcomes Molly to la-la land with a smothering dose "sisterly love"...but in this town, nothing is ever what it seems.

Set against a world of Redbull-fuelled stylists, tiny tanned girls, popped-collar guys, and Blackberry-wielding publicists, Spoiled is a sparkling debut from the writers behind the viciously funny celebrity blog GoFugYourself.com.

The Unwritten Rule, by Elizabeth Scott

Brianna is the girl everyone wants to be or be with, and Sara is her best friend. Sara is perfectly fine with living in Brianna's shadow, even though Brianna's new boyfriend is Ryan, Sara's crush. Though Sara tries really hard not to like Ryan, everything gets way worse when they kiss one night after a party. Sara, who has never been anything but loyal to Brianna, is wracked with guilt for what she did and what she wants, but can't help herself from getting closer to Ryan. Yes, it's another one of these stories, but this one is pretty good.

I've read these stories before, and chances are if you're reading this review that you have too. There was no unique twist that made this one completely different from any other book like it, unless you count Sara's selflessness, which I don't since it wasn't important enough to make this book stand out from the other "I'm in love with my best friend's boyfriend" books. However, this book was written well and it really showed all sides of the story well. Somehow I didn't hate Sara, Brianna, or Ryan when I finished the book because Scott managed to show each character perfectly. Brianna was just mean enough that you cheer Sara and Ryan on, but just pitiable enough that you don't consider her a horrible person. I suppose Ryan would be the one to blame but I felt like he was a victim just as much as the other two were.

4.0 stars. Not out-of-this-world incredible, but definitely enjoyable.

 
Everyone knows the unwritten rule: You don’t like your best friend’s boyfriend.

Sarah has had a crush on Ryan for years. He’s easy to talk to, supersmart, and totally gets her. Lately it even seems like he’s paying extra attention to her. Everything would be perfect except for two things: Ryan is Brianna’s boyfriend, and Brianna is Sarah’s best friend.

Sarah forces herself to avoid Ryan and tries to convince herself not to like him. She feels so guilty for wanting him, and the last thing she wants is to hurt her best friend. But when she’s thrown together with Ryan one night, something happens. It’s wonderful... and awful.

Sarah is torn apart by guilt, but what she feels is nothing short of addiction, and she can’t stop herself from wanting more...

Keeping the Castle, by Patrice Kindl

In this Jane Austen-like tale written in the 21st century, our heroine, Althea, is on a mission to (pardon me) keep her castle. Althea, her mother, her brother, and her two wicked stepsisters live in a dilapidated castle in the English countryside, and if Althea doesn't marry rich soon, they will all be homeless. Luckily, Althea is very pretty, very smart, and very determined to find a rich husband. When the young handsome rich and title Lord Boring arrives, Althea decides he would be the perfect man for her to marry. However, there is one big obstacle in her way in the form of Mr. Fredericks, Boring's friend, cousin, and business manager who sees right through Althea's plan.

As a Jane Austen fan, I absolutely adored this book. It was a whimsical take on Jane Austen, including imitations of many of her characters, yet it somehow had a modern feel to it. Instead of the hints and innuendos in Austen's novels, Kindl said everything she wanted to say directly, to the point where she actually named a character Boring. Boring was a Bingley-type character, good-looking and well-intentioned, but he had an edge to him that made him less clean-cut than the Bingley of Pride and Prejudice. Althea greatly reminded me of Emma (from Emma) who tries to manipulate and control the lives of everyone else around her while digging herself a bigger and bigger hole, while Mr. Fredericks was obviously Kindl's take on Mr. Darcy. The stepsisters were utterly hysterical and added a Cinderella twist to the whole story.

5 stars

Seventeen-year-old Althea is the sole support of her entire family, and she must marry well. But there are few wealthy suitors--or suitors of any kind--in their small Yorkshire town of Lesser Hoo. Then, the young and attractive (and very rich) Lord Boring arrives, and Althea sets her plans in motion. There's only one problem; his friend and business manager Mr. Fredericks keeps getting in the way. And, as it turns out, Fredericks has his own set of plans . . . This witty take on the classic Regency--Patrice Kindl's first novel in a decade--is like literary champagne!

Sweet Peril, by Wendy Higgins (Sweet Evil #2)

After the tragic events of the Summit at the end of Sweet Evil, Anna Whitt knows that the Dukes mean business, and she also knows that they must be stopped once and for all. Together with her father, Belial, the duke of substance abuse (I know, it's a little far-fetched, but just go with it), who is not quite as evil as his fellow dukey counterparts, Anna is trying to recruit other Nephilim to her cause. Throughout Anna's junior and senior years of high school, Belial is doing research on which Neph are likely to betray their fathers, and sending Anna and Kopano, son of the duke of wrath (a lot more typical, thank goodness), to go fetch potential allies to their cause. As Anna and Kope start getting closer, Anna can't stop thinking about Kaiden (stupid name, but again, just go with it), son of the duke of lust, but Kaiden has been impossible to reach since the Summit in New York. Anna has to decide whether to settle with the good guy or hold out for the bad guy with the potential to make her heart explode. Gee, I wonder who she chooses.

Sweet Evil sucked me in with the idea of a good girl stuck on the bad side, but in Sweet Peril that idea seemed kind of old. I found it a lot more cliche and emotional than Sweet Evil, with a little too much complaining about Kaiden, but still very good. I got so annoyed with her pining for Kaiden that at some point I was transferred to Team Kope. Despite my complaints about Anna's lovesickness, the way that all the Neph's emotions were being toyed with and how they all twisted up into a giant spiderweb was very cool. A little overdone, but cool nonetheless. It made certain parts that would have been a lot more boring intriguing.

My last note will seem sort of odd, but I still think it's valid. The dukes are just too nasty. I know they are supposed to be demons/devils/really really bad fallen angels, but the nastiness of the evil ones is so extreme that it takes away any character from them and makes them simply bad things. The supreme level of evilness that they have risen to has taken away any semblance of personality they may have had and makes them characters who can solidly be relied on to be cruel and bad. I would have loved to see a soft side to several of the dukes who have been declared as purely evil, but I doubt that will happen.

4.2 stars

Anna Whitt, the daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a vow. She’d been naive about a lot of things.

Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the while there’s Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind.

When an unexpected lost message from the angels surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life?

Rites of Spring (Break), by Diana Peterfreund (Secret Society Girl #3)

Links to my reviews of the previous Secret Society Girl books:
Secret Society Girl
Under the Rose

Life is never quite for a Digger, especially Amy Haskel. Amy, or Bugaboo, as her brothers call her is up to her usually antics, getting in trouble with guys and being the new target for the pranks of a rival secret society. When spring break comes around, Amy is ecstatic to escape from Eli campus and go to a private island off the coast of Florida occupied only by fellow Diggers and their families. However, life does not calm down in the slightest when she arrives on Cavador Key. Instead it gets more excited as unaccidental accidents keep happening and once again, Amy is the target. Put this together with what may be a new romance with a guy Amy had always hated until she didn't (though I totally predicted it-just look at my review of Under the Rose) and this vacation is bound to be Amy's most exciting adventure yet.

This book was INCREDIBLE!!!! You know a series is good when the middle books are just as good as the first and last books (like Harry Potter or Percy Jackson) and strangely enough, Secret Society Girl is like that too. I loved this book so much that I ordered Tap and Gown a second after I finished it because my library doesn't have it. Just thinking about this book is getting my thoughts to give little girlish squeaks.

Spoilers Ahead- skip to the italics on bottom for the publisher's summary



I was very surprised that Darren was the one causing all the trouble. If there's one thing I've learned from the SSG books it's that you never know what will happen and when Darren started getting all violent then I was shocked. It made sense afterwards, and because he's just a kid the author was able to get him out without being labeled a psycho, but it still caught me off guard.

I thought the whole Brandon thing at the beginning was unnecessary. Yes, it helped with plot, but it also split the book into two stories-before spring break and after spring break. It also seemed pointless to me because once they were on the boat for Cavador Key Amy only thought about him when people mentioned that she was going through a hard time. If no one mentioned it she was perfectly fine. Only when the topic of guys came up did she feel bad about what had happened. Her romance with Poe could have happened without the Brandon prelude.

Because there is only one book left in the series, I am going to make a few predictions before I read book 4 to see if they will come true:
1. George + Clarissa are totally going to happen. I don't know why I think that but I did sense something there.
2. Malcolm should get a society boyfriend. There has to be someone around who's secretly gay, and whoever he is will end up with Malcolm.
3. The Diggers are going to do something so great that everyone will take them seriously again. This isn't so much a prediction as much as a hope, but I put it on this list anyway.

4.8 stars.

A week of R&R on her Rose & Grave’s private island should be all fun in the sun—and an escape from an on-campus feud with a rival society that’s turned disturbingly personal. But Amy is bringing a suitcase full of issues to Florida. Graduation from Eli University looms, not to mention unfinished business with a former flame and the confusing transformation of a mysterious Rose & Grave patriarch from sheer evil to dead sexy.

Just when Amy thinks Spring Break can’t get any less relaxing, a distressing accident puts everyone on edge. And that’s only the beginning. It seems that someone has infiltrated the island. There are major Rose & Grave secrets at stake—secrets which could take down one of America’s most loathsome figureheads—but this party crasher is serious about one thing: making sure Amy doesn’t get back to Eli alive.

Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2), by Marissa Meyer

Scarlet's grandmother has been missing for over two weeks and she is willing to do anything to bring her back alive. After her alcoholic father gives her a clue to her grandmother's kidnappers that leads to a street fighter named Wolf, Scarlet sets off on a journey to Paris with Wolf as her guide. Scarlet knows Wolf is hiding things from her, and as his secrets start to unfold Scarlet learns that she and her grandmother are in a lot more danger than they ever would have imagined. Meanwhile, in Asia, Cinder is planning her escape from prison and has found a partner in crime who happens to have a ship. Cinder wants to find out what happened to her during the missing years before her adoption and how she got her magnificently wired brain. Her journey takes her to France, where she and Scarlet cross paths on quests with seemingly different yet similar goals.

As is the case with many second books (I think I've used that line before) this book did not live up to the first one. With that said, I will remind you, if you've read my review of Cinder, that the only reason Cinder got a five-star rating was because the plot shone through the mediocre prose. Unfortunately for Scarlet, the plot took a long time to get good and even once it did it was only for a few short pages before the story returned to the unexciting once more. However, I will admit that despite my dislike for Scarlet's point of view, the connection to the first book was very good and it continued the story well while still retaining its independence as its own book and not merely a continuation of the first one.

4.2 stars.

The fates of Cinder and Scarlet collide as a Lunar threat spreads across the Earth...

Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She's trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.

Boundless, by Cynthia Hand (Unearthly #3)

(Here are links to my reviews of books 1 and 2 in this series if you haven't read them yet: Unearthly and Hallowed)


In the final part of Clara's tale, she finds herself at Stanford with Christian and Angela. She is still heartbroken about leaving behind Tucker, her first love, but knows she has to get over him and move on with her life (which Christian is more than willing to help her with). However, Clara doesn't get much time to be a typical college student, because there is unrest in the battle between good and evil and Clara is right in the center of it. And the fact that a depressed fallen angel in love with her dead mom is following her around is not exactly helpful.



**************SPOILERS AHEAD******************

I liked Christian from the beginning and was really hoping that Clara would choose him in the end. Tucker is great and all and I understand why she chose him, but even in the first book, I liked Christian better. His ending was kind of sad, but it is nice to know that he has a successful career and a family, even if that family is his sister and her kid. It was also sweet that Angela and Christian were related and didn't know it. I had wondered since Unearthly why there were absolutely no sparks between the two, but now it all makes sense. I have to say though, I thought that ending was a cop-out. Tucker becoming a prophet-really? To me it seemed like the author stuck in a new concept last minute just to make a happy ending because she realized Clara couldn't end up with Christian as was originally planned. Nevertheless, this book was a satisfying ending and I recommend this series to anyone who hasn't read it. Even though you know the ending now if you've read this review.

4.6 stars. 


The past few years have held more surprises than part-angel Clara Gardner could ever have anticipated. Yet from the dizzying highs of first love, to the agonizing low of losing someone close to her, the one thing she can no longer deny is that she was never meant to live a normal life.

Since discovering the special role she plays among the other angel-bloods, Clara has been determined to protect Tucker Avery from the evil that follows her . . . even if it means breaking both their hearts. Leaving town seems like the best option, so she’s headed back to California - and so is Christian Prescott, the irresistible boy from the vision that started her on this journey in the first place.

As Clara makes her way in a world that is frighteningly new, she discovers that the fallen angel who attacked her is watching her every move. And he’s not the only one. . . . With the battle against the Black Wings looming, Clara knows she must finally fulfill her destiny. But it won’t come without sacrifices and betrayal.

In the riveting finale of the Unearthly series, Clara must decide her fate once and for all.

Lola and the Boy Next Door, by Stephanie Perkins

Anna and St. Clair are back!!!!! In Lola and the Boy Next Door, their friend and coworker Lola is a creative dresser (that was an understatement) with great parents and a hot musician boyfriend. But when the Bell twins, including her childhood crush and lifelong nemesis, return to the house next door, and Lola's mother reenters her life, everything is turned upside down. I would elaborate more but I can't really think of anything else to say.

Lola and the BND was very similar to Anna and the French Kiss, except it was the girl with the boyfriend with a guy pining after her instead of the guy with the girlfriend and the girl pining after him. All other differences in the two stories rely on individual details and emotions, but in some way I did feel like this was Anna and the French Kiss just from St. Clair's perspective.

Strangely enough, I would recommend any prospective readers to read Anna and the French Kiss first even though Lola is more parallel to it than a sequel because Anna isn't the main character. However, the relationship between Anna and St. Clair would have been annoying had I not known the story behind it. It was also cool to see Anna from someone else's perspective. From her own personal description and things that others said in Anna and the FK I had a picture of her in my head, but Lola finished that off and made Anna seem like a real person to me. St. Clair still seemed to good to be true.

**********spoilers ahead**************

I was about to post this when I realized that I've only talked about Anna and said barely anything about Lola, Cricket and co. so here goes. I didn't think Max was as bad as he was in the end. I guess that's because the story is told from Lola's point of view which skewed Max's portrayal a bit, but I really didn't see it. I thought it was incredibly sweet that he actually came to brunch once a week with her parents. Yes, he could have been a lot nicer to Lola's friends, but he's way older than Lola so I understand how he found what's-her-name annoying. Also, what was up with the whole waiting around after the break-up thing? They were so desperate to be together and he clearly wouldn't have been a rebound, so why'd she have to keep both their hearts in pieces for weeks and weeks? I thought it was a bit masochistic but since I've never been in that position I probably shouldn't judge.

5 stars.

 Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion...she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit--more sparkly, more fun, more wild--the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket--a gifted inventor--steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

Under the Rose, by Diana Peterfreund (Secret Society Girl #2)

At the end of Secret Society Girl (which is way less stupid than its title would suggest) Amy Haskel and her fellow Diggirls showed all their antiquated society brothers that they planned to stay in Rose and Grave. Under the Rose picks up after the summer, at the beginning of the Diggers' senior year. Just as Amy and her brothers (the girls are also referred to as brothers) are settling into their new roles without the previous class, they are shocked to discover a mole in their midst. Someone has been selling Digger secrets to the media, and if they don't find out who it is soon then the entire society of Rose and Grave may no longer be a secret society (cue the scary music).

I remember this from SSG, as well as Diana Peterfreund's other books that I have read, that her novels always have a nice flow. This was a pretty hard feat to accomplish when you consider that the plot, antagonists, and challenges changed several times midway through the novel. Most stories with that much change throughout feel disjointed, but this one managed to keep a nice and steady flow, even when it wasn't really flowing nicely or steadily. However, although I do give the author props for twisting the plot so elegantly, I was still annoyed by the twist. I was so involved in the way the story was going when all of a sudden everything is flipped. Good guys are bad guys and bad guys are good guys. Except if you read on then everything will get flipped AGAIN. Although it's interesting to read, it makes the overall story extremely complicated.

-------SPOILERS AHEAD---------

While reading SSG I was eager to try to guess who Amy would end up with at the end of the last book. There were so many characters in SSG that I figured a new guy wouldn't be introduced for Amy. The main problem though was that of all the guys in the book, Amy stuck most of them in the friend zone. The ones she didn't were Brandon, who if you finished SSG you'll know she doesn't end up with, and George who is too much of a playboy to ever settle down. It's nice to dream that George will give up his philandering ways but I didn't see it coming in SSG and I certainly don't see it coming after UTR (that's Under The Rose for anyone who hasn't realized that yet-but don't feel embarrassed because that would totally be me if I hadn't written this). Finally, after finishing UTR I have come to a conclusion-Poe. I know Amy hates him but after UTR she hates him less. Also, the way he ran after her when she found out what he did (sorry all you spoiler lovers-I'm not telling you what he did) showed that he cares about what she thinks about him. Though I must admit, him showing up for only her CB makes this all seem really creepy. 

4.6 stars. 


Fans of Beautiful Disaster will devour Diana Peterfreund’s Ivy League novels—Secret Society Girl, Under the Rose, Rites of Spring (Break), and Tap & Gown. At an elite university, Amy Haskel has been initiated into the country’s most notorious secret society. But in this power-hungry world where new blood is at the mercy of old money, hooking up with the wrong people could be fatal.
 
Now a senior at Eli University, Amy is looking her future squarely in the eye—until someone starts selling society secrets. When a female member mysteriously disappears and a series of bizarre messages suggests conspiracy within the ranks, no member of Rose & Grave is safe . . . or above suspicion.

On Amy’s side, the other women in Rose & Grave remain loyal. Against her? A group of Rose & Grave’s überpowerful patriarchs who want their old boys’ club back. As new developments in her love life threaten to explode, and the search for the missing girl takes a disturbing turn, Amy will need to use every society maneuver she’s ever learned in order to stay one step ahead. Even if it means turning to old adversaries for help—or looking for her real enemies closer than she’d thought.

Anna and the French Kiss, by Stephanie Perkins

If you have spoken to me in the past week you will have already heard of Anna and the French Kiss, as it is my new favorite book. I'm pretty loose with giving out 5 stars, and right now I'm upset about that because it makes this 5-star rating more unimpressive.

When Anna's father decides he needs a more cultured family he sends Anna off the School of America in Paris, or SOAP, to clean off all the American dirt with some Parisian suds (sorry, couldn't help it). Upon arrival Anna is lucky enough to be adopted by a clique which happens to include her dream guy, Etienne St. Clair, who also happens to have a girlfriend. There isn't much else to say about the plot because it just follows Anna's year in France and the ups and downs of her relationships and friendships.

At first I thought Anna and the French Kiss was just a fun light romance but once the drama started I redefined it as more of a happy Sarah Dessen type novel. It was fun, but still serious, which made it extremely life-like. Sometimes these sorts of YA novels get too serious and too involved and forget to show the happy parts of life, or at least don't show them well enough to brighten it up significantly, but in Anna and the French Kiss the happy outweighed the sad.

I don't want to say too much about this book because in this case I think less is more, but there were two details I loved that I must share with you. The first was that Etienne is shorter than Anna. I know, it's stupid, but I loved how no one cared. The love interests in these books are usually everything Etienne is plus tall and Etienne set himself apart from all of those losers by actually being unique. The other thing I loved was how the author made fun of Nicholas Sparks by modeling Anna's father after him. The stupid overly-detailed plots involving cancer and an inevitable unhappy ending for somebody were clearly him but what I really liked was how she pointed out how he totally sold out by writing something stupid that sells. My opinion on Nicholas Sparks is that he probably sits there counting his money and laughing at the gullible women who enjoy the emotional trash he writes. It's refreshing to hear that someone else came to the same conclusion I did.

To end on a happy note: READ THIS NOW IF YOU HAVEN'T YET

5 stars

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all...including a serious girlfriend.

But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?

The Secret Lives of Dresses, by Erin McKean

Dora is living life without any direction, majoring in the extremely general "liberal arts" and not really finding much inspiration in school or her work in a coffee shop. When her grandmother who raised her suffers a stroke, Dora runs home to be by her side, leaving behind school, work, and her flirty boss who she has a crush on. At home Dora takes over the running of her grandmother's vintage clothing store and discovers stories her grandmother would give to customers about the dresses they were buying. During this tragic time Dora learns new things about herself, her grandmother, and her long dead parents that she never knew before. Throughout everything Dora is faced with the choice of her lifetime: leave school and run her grandmother's shop (and spend time with the cute contractor) or go back to school (and her crush) and get her degree.

Overall thoughts:
When I first heard the plot of the book I was excited to read it. How could I not love a book about vintage dresses? The answer: very easily. Although I loved the story, the prose was absolutely horrible in my opinion. Yes, it told the story, but the sweetness of the story could not overwhelm the bad writing. There was too much detail in the story and though detail can be good-it bored me to death. Extra detail must either be useful information that comes into place later, words to make the story flow, or entertaining. The details here were none of the above. It would be like telling the story of Little Red Riding Hood and describing the exact path she took through the forest complete with directions and tree species. Some of these extra details were negligible and easily ignored but what really bothered me were the tangents the author would go on that would last pages and pages. I agree that the background story is important, but sometimes it would be in the middle of a scene and by the time we were back in the present I had totally forgotten what was going on. (The tangents I'm referring to are not the secret lives.) The reason why I gave this book such a high rating was because I did love the story itself, outside of the words.

Characters:
I couldn't even find one character that I liked. Every single person was completely one-sided. Dora was unsure, Gary was flirty and self-centered, Dora's aunt and cousin were vapid, Maux was outgoing and slightly nuts in a cute way, Mimi was the perfect grandmother, and Con was the perfect man. Every single person had only one side to them, even though the story did provide space for them to extend their personalities. There were times of happiness and sadness, but each character was exactly the same in every situation.

Narration:
When the story is being told from the first-person, it should not feel like the third person. Elements of personality should shine through and taint the rest of the story. However, because Dora has no personality and no opinions other than "vintage dresses rock!" it did not come across as first-person. Also-in a book about vintage dresses I expect some salivating descriptions, but was disappointed by how boring they were. And now I will finish this review because I have a sudden craving for Modcloth.

2.6 stars. The story would make an amazing movie but the book just didn't cut it for me.


Dora has always taken the path of least resistance. She went to the college that offered her a scholarship, is majoring in "vagueness studies," and wears whatever shows the least dirt. She falls into a job at the college coffee shop, and a crush on her flirty boss, Gary.

Just when she's about to test Gary's feelings, Mimi, the grandmother who raised her, suffers a stroke. Dora rushes back home to Forsyth, NC, and finds herself running her grandmother's vintage clothing store. The store has always been a fixture in Dora's life; though she grew up more of a jeans-and-sweatshirt kind of girl, before she even knew how to write, Mimi taught her that a vintage 1920s dress could lift a woman's spirit.

While working there, Dora befriends Mimi's adorable contractor, Conrad. Is he after Dora, or is working from a different blueprint? And why did Mimi start writing down--and giving away--stories of the dresses in her shop?

When Mimi dies, Dora can't get out of town fast enough and cedes control of the store to her money-hungry aunt who wants to turn it into a t-shirt shop for tourists. But ultimately, she returns to Forsyth, willing to battle whatever may stand in the way of her staying there. Dora can trade her boring clothes for vintage glamour, but can she trade her boring life for one she actually wants?

The Runaway Princess, by Hester Browne

Amy is a totally average girl. She's pretty, but not gorgeous, smart, but not a genious, and is also a little shy. After a party-crashing disaster, Amy meets Leo, her prince charming. However, it isn't until after they've gone out once or twice that Amy finds out her prince charming really is a prince, 5th in line to the throne of the tiny island Nirona. Suddenly, Amy is thrust into a world she never dreamed of being part of, full of fancy balls and galas and expensive dresses, but she still holds on to her gardening roots (pun not intended-she really is a gardener). When a series of events forces Leo closer to the throne than anyone expected, Amy is pushed even farther into his world and is faced with the biggest dilemma of her life: be with the man she loves and become a totally new person, or stay true to herself?

Overall thoughts:
Totally adorable!!! Hester Browne always adds something to her novels that make them more than just another stupid romance and this one was no different. The main theme of the Runaway Princess was to be who you are and not to change yourself for someone else, which I thought was very similar to the theme in The Little Lady and the Prince. In both books the main character questions how much of herself she should compromise in a relationship with a man she loves, only to discover or learn later that compromise has to go both ways.

What I expected vs. what I got:
Based on the description, I thought that The Runaway Princess would start with Amy and Leo already engaged, and I was pleasantly surprised to find Amy single at the start of the book. I loved how the novel is set up in a way to take the reader on a journey through Amy and Leo's relationship. It gave the plot a depth that it otherwise wouldn't have had because it made me fall in love with them while they fell for each other. If the story had only started once they were engaged and all the drama started then I wouldn't have been committed to Amy and Leo as a couple and probably would have wanted her to dump him for some sweet normal guy, because I love reading the beginning of the love story.

Characters:
I absolutely adored the cast of characters in The Runaway Princess. Every single one was unique, round, and memorable, with totally different personalities. In particular I loved Jo and she was the perfect "quirky best friend". Jo was supposed to play second-string to Amy, as this was Amy's story, but Jo managed to take over any scene she was in with her big personality. This may sound a little off because she was only supposed to be on the side, but I liked it because I felt like this was how Jo and Amy would be if they were real people, just because of Amy's shyness. Jo also had that perfect best friend quality which can be very hard to find, which is a complete lack of jealousy. In a book about a girl being engaged to a prince you'd think that her best friend would be jealous but Browne managed to create a best friend whose happiness for the future princess was one hundred percent genuine.
I wouldn't be able to write about the characters without mentioning Zoe. She had only two appearances but I loved both of them, especially the second one which was so good I nearly started crying (in a good way!!!). I would say more but this part was so good that my words wouldn't do it justice.

5 stars.

If Amy Wilde’s new boyfriend, Leo, treats her like a queen, that’s because he’s secretly a prince himself: Leopold William Victor Wolfsburg of Nirona, the ninth most eligible royal bachelor in the world. Amy soon discovers that dating an heir to a throne has many charms—intimate alfresco dinners, glittering galas, and, for a girl who lives in jeans and wellies, a dazzling new wardrobe with tiaras to match. But there are also drawbacks: imagine the anxiety of meeting your boyfriend’s parents multiplied by a factor of “riding in a private jet,” “staying in a castle,” and “discussing the line of succession over lunch.” Not to mention the sudden press interest in your very un-royal family. When an unexpected turn of events pushes Leo closer to the throne, the Wolfsburgs decide to step up Amy’s transformation from down-to-earth gardener to perfectly polished princess-in-waiting. Amy would do anything for Leo, but is finding her Prince Charming worth the price of losing herself?

Swept Off Her Feet, by Hester Browne

Evie is a girl too focused on the past to live in the present. She sees the love and life that had been in antiques and holds on to useless treasures that were sentimental to others a long time ago. When Evie's sister Alice volunteers her to appraise the furniture and possessions in a Scottish castle owned by friends of her boyfriend Fraser's family, Evie could not be more excited. A genuine Scottish castle with all its history, plus time spent with her sister's boyfriend (her secret crush) are Evie's dream come true. However, instead of a peaceful vacation of examining antiques, Evie is faced with a hunt for a priceless heirloom, a ball complete with complicated antiquated dances, and a man who will sweep her off her feet.

Overall Thoughts:
I was a little reluctant to read this book. I knew it would be good, because it's a Hester Browne novel, but I was not very inspired by the description. Although I found the beginning a little boring, the book redeemed itself later and turned out not to be as boring as I had expected.

What I expected vs. what I got:
I'm accustomed to Hester Browne's novels being funny and sweet but this one struck me as a little more serious. I thought it would be more dramatic because Evie's non-crush on Fraser was mentioned in the description. Instead it was just as frothy as the rest of Hester Browne's novels, which was a relief because had it been serious it would have been another of those overdramatic novels about a family heirloom and a dangerous secret. As much as I love Hester Browne's writing, I'm happy she stuck to her usual bubbly story.

Speed of story:
This book started off a little too slow for my taste. Not enough to lower its high rating significantly, but enough that I had to mention it. It was a little boring at the beginning but once it got interesting, it was extremely enjoyable.

Characters:
Hester Browne's main characters in her other books that I've read are cute and smart with a distinct quirk, and Evie was no different. What separated Evie from those other central characters was the uniqueness of her quirk. A twenty-something year old woman obsessed with the past is pretty uncommon and could be too spacey, but the author managed to make her seem more endearing than annoying. The main foil to Evie is her sister Alice who is supposed to be her complete opposite. Alice is a doer, someone who works on instinct and doesn't put up with a mess. I also found her extremely irritating and an overall pain. Her relationship with Evie and Fraser seemed one-sided, as she just did what she wanted and expected them to always love her.

Stupidities that annoyed me:
Evie's crush on Fraser! It was more in her head than in her heart. Evie only liked him because she saw him as the perfect man and at times she even forgot all about her crush. She would only mention it sparingly, almost like it was an afterthought. It was a crush she (masochistically) wanted to have but didn't.

4.6 stars.

Evie Nicholson is in love . . . with the past. An antiques appraiser in a London shop, Evie spins fanciful attachments to Victorian picture frames, French champagne glasses, satin evening gloves, and tattered teddy bears—regardless of their monetary value. 

Alice Nicholson is in love . . . with Fraser Graham, a dashing Scotsman whom Evie secretly desires. As crisply neat and stylish as Evie is cheerfully cluttered, Alice is a professional organizer determined to pull her sister out of her comfort zone—and who presents her with an irresistible offer. 

As a favor to friends of Fraser’s family, Evie jumps at the chance to appraise a Scottish castle full of artifacts and heirlooms. What could be more thrilling than roaming the halls of Kettlesheer and uncovering the McAndrews’ family treasures—and dusty secrets? 

But crossing paths with moody heir Robert McAndrew has Evie assessing what she wants the most . . . and at an upcoming candlelight gala, a traditional dance will set her heart reeling.

The Betrayal of the Blood Lily, by Lauren Willig (Pink Carnation #6)

Here are links to my reviews of some of the previous books in the Pink Carnation series:
The Secret History of the Pink Carnation (book #1)
The Seduction of the Crimson Rose (book #4)
The Temptation of the Night Jasmine (book #5)

The Betrayal of the Blood Lily is another in the Pink Carnation series, which combines modern romance with historical fiction, 18th century espionage, and good old-fashioned romance. In Blood Lily we are reunited with the impulsive and impossible Penelope who has just arrived in India with her new husband, Lord Frederick Staines. Freddie was sent to investigate a British officer in India, and the new couple undergoes numerous adventures on the way. Traveling as their guide in India is Captain Alex Reid, who is more than surprised to discover Penelope isn't the woman he expected her to be.

Overall Review:
This was the most satisfying of all the Pink Carnation novels. The modern story was good because the slow pace was actually okay for once. Eloise and Colin are finally together so the fact that their story would have lost a race against a snail didn't bother me. It was sweet to see their day to day lives as a couple. The historical romance in Blood Lily was satisfying and a lot edgier than the previous books, which made me enjoy it all the more. The other books were all pretty similar, but this one was jarringly different in a wonderful way.

Reading and Plot Speed:
This book, like all the others, was an easy and fast read. And once you reach the exciting parts, you are forced to finish it in one sitting.

Characters:
All the reviews I read about Blood Lily before reading it claimed that Penelope is the best of the heroines in the Pink Carnation series. I was inclined to disagree at the time because I thought her annoying and selfish in previous books. I remembered her as that girl who was friends with Hen and Charlotte and would constantly be putting them down while waiting for them to help her out of whatever heap of trouble she had just gotten into. However, once I started Blood Lily I grew to love Penelope more than any of the rest because she was the first one with not only brain or guts, but both. Another thing I liked a lot was how Alex was of a lower station than Penelope. In all the previous books the girls would marry up, but here Penelope is willing to let go of her extravagant lifestyle as Lady Staines and live life with the man she loves. Alex was a perfect match for Penelope because he completely balanced out Penelope's extreme personality.

Random Thoughts:
My biggest problem with the previous books was how they made sometimes fatal espionage seem fun and harmless. Blood Lily was a little darker and edgier than the others so it did add a bit more genuine historical flavor, but was still a little too fluffy.

5 stars.

The heroines of Lauren Willig's bestselling Pink Carnation series have engaged in espionage all over nineteenth-century Europe. In the sixth stand-alone volume, our fair English heroine travels to India, where she finds freedom—and risk—more exciting than she ever imagined.

Everyone warned Miss Penelope Deveraux that her unruly behavior would land her in disgrace someday. She never imagined she's be whisked off to India to give the scandal of her hasty marriage time to die down. As Lady Frederick Staines waits, Penelope plunges into the treacherous waters of the court of the Nizam of Hyderabad, where no one is quite what they seem—even her husband. In a strange country, where elaborate court dress masks even more elaborate intrigues and a dangerous spy called the Marigold leaves venomous cobras as his calling card, there is only one person Penelope can trust...

Captain Alex Reid has better things to do than play nursemaid to a pair of aristocrats. Or so he thinks—until Lady Frederick Staines out-shoots, out-rides, and out-swims every man in the camp. She also has an uncanny ability to draw out the deadly plans of the Marigold and put herself in harm's way. With danger looming from local warlords, treacherous court officials, and French spies, Alex realizes that an alliance with Lady Staines just might be the only thing standing in the way of a plot designed to rock the very foundations of the British Empire...

Crave, by Melissa Darnell (The Clann #1)

Savannah Colbert has never known why she's so hated by the kids of the Clann. Nor can she deny her instinct to get close to Clann golden boy Tristan Coleman. Especially when she recovers from a strange illness and the attraction becomes nearly irresistible. It's as if he's a magnet, pulling her gaze, her thoughts, even her dreams. Her family has warned her to have nothing to do with him, or any members of the Clann. But when Tristan is suddenly everywhere she goes, Savannah fears she's destined to fail.


For years, Tristan has been forbidden to even speak to Savannah Colbert. Then Savannah disappears from school for a week and comes back…different, and suddenly he can't stay away. Boys seem intoxicated just from looking at her. His own family becomes stricter than ever. And Tristan has to fight his own urge to protect her, to be near her no matter the consequences….

In a world of witches and vampires that she has yet to know about, Savannah is stuck in the middle of the two groups. She also has a giant crush on Tristan, a member of the Clann, who have made it very clear they don't like Savannah and have no qualms about making her life miserable. However, her masochistic longing for the one guy she can't have isn't unrequited, as Tristan finds Savannah irresistible after she comes back to school after being sick. Savannah and Tristan know they must avoid each other, but they can't. Will these star-crossed lovers give in to temptation or will they respect their families' wishes?

Based on the cover and the summary I expected a grittier story than what was inside the book. Where I felt there should have been more angst and darkness were Savannah's childish (and self-centered) thoughts and the school dance team. Savannah acted really petty, especially considering her new situation. I get that it can be terrifying to learn you aren't fully human and that witches and vampires exist, but she could have handled it with a lot more aplomb. Yeah, she's only 15 for most of the book, but you'd think her unique situation would cause her to grow up a bit faster.

I know that this is supposed to be a Romeo and Juliet type tale but I couldn't help but find the whole thing immature. I felt like if you give Sav and Tristan another two months together they'd break up and that the attraction is based in the knowledge that they can't be together. And as much as they proclaim their love there is also evidence that it is all caused by the magic inside them. Savannah is told that members of the Clann will be more attractive to her because of her transformation, and even though she had a crush on Tristan before, I think it was more of an infatuation that would have gone away eventually. And Tristan is only motivated to act on his attraction to Sav because he's jealous of all the other male attention she's getting. For him in particular I feel the whole thing was just an act of defiance against his parents.

Maybe, just maybe, had I read this book five years ago I would have liked it. That's a giant maybe. I would not recommend this to anyone who wants to read a book with some actual brainpower put into it, but its ditziness and bubbliness would probably be enough for younger readers.

2.7 stars.